A reminder of the difficult situation of refugees in the world: a short animation

On the occasion of the World Day for Refugees’ Rights (June 20, 2017), FIDH launches a video clip (2’12) that features the chaotic journey of a Syrian refugee family between Turkey and the European Union. Designed by Simon HIGELIN, with the voice of Jane BIRKIN, the animation illustrates several typical situations that refugees face: lack of work permits, dangerous crossing over to Greece, encampment on the edges of Europe, push backs to Turkey.

While the media and political discourses mention an unprecedented migratory crisis sweeping Europe, the European Union (EU) actually hosts only 6% of world refugees. On the occasion of the World Day for Refugees’ Rights, FIDH launches today a short animation on social networks. The aim is to deconstruct fake news and received ideas as well as denounce the abuses that refugees are victim of.

The viewer is invited to learn about the situation of Meriem, a Syrian woman surviving in Turkey with her family. He then discovers her brother who has crossed the sea over to Europe and ended stuck in a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, before being sent back to Turkey… in application of the deal signed between the EU and Turkey on March 18, 2016.

Finally, the story expands to the situation of the 65 million people who are victim of forced displacement and migration in the world. While camps are multiplying and individual rights are shrinking, simple solutions for the concrete improvement of their living conditions do exist: easier access to safe zones, access to education and housing, work permit, are only but a few.